Improvement in blotting-sheets



B. B. HILL. Blotting-Sheets.

No. 215,520. Patented May 20,1879.

NPEI'ERS, FHQTO-LITNQGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. 0 C.

"UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcn.

BENJAMIN B. HILL, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVE MENT IN BLOTTlNG-SHEETS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 215.520, dated May 20, 1879; application filed March 13,1879.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN B. HILL, of Springfield, in the State of Massachusetts,

have invented a new and useful Improy ement in Blotting-Sheets; and that the following is a full, clear, and eXact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

invention has for its object a blotter sheet both sides of which are porous and cap able of absorbing moisture readily, and the edges of which are made rigid and stiff, more durable, and easily handled.

To this end my invention consists of a blotter-sheet having both its sides porous, to absorb moisture readily, and having a gum, of the proper consistency in solution, applied to its edges, which gum, when dry, renders the edges of the sheet quite stiff and firm, and gives the fibers of the paper more compact ness and solidity near and at the edges, and renders the latter much less liable to be worn out or frayed by use. 7

The drawing is a perspective View of a blotter-sheet made or treated according to my invention. 1

In the drawing, A represents a sheet of blotting-paper of the ordinary porous character throughout its thickness, so that either side will readily absorb moisture or liquid, and to its edges, at a, I apply any suitable gum, which, when dry, will impart the desired degree of stiffness to the edges of the blotter-sheet. This gum may be applied to the edges of a single sheet by a brush or by dipping the edges of the sheet into a liquid solution of the gum, and afterward drying it or a number of sheets placed in apackage with their edges together may have the gum applied in a liquid state to all the sheets at once, either by means of a brush or by dipping them into the solution of gum, as before mentioned, the latter being sufficiently liquid to penetrate a littlerlistance into the paper.

I consider a solution of gum-shellac the most suitable to apply to the edges of the blottersheets, as it dries quickly if the gum is diseasily and quicklybyits stiffened edge, and the edges of the sheet will not so soon wear away or fray out, while either side may be used for blotting.

If a package of blotter-sheets with their edges thus treated with shellac or other suitable gum which is insoluble in Water are dampened and kept in a receptacle, with a cover or a presser resting upon them, they will, remain sufficient-1y damp for a long time to take a press-copy of a written document perfectly well and when it is desired to remove a single sheet from the receptacle, its edges, although the sheet may be damp, will be sufficiently firm and stiff to permit it to be done withthe greatest ease, and the edges will re- 1 tain their stiffness for a long time, while if the edges were not so treated with the gum they would be exceedingly limp and Weak as soon as dampened, and would be easily torn and worn away if handled when damp, and be soon entirely unfit for use, These edges, too, being rendered water-proof by this application of gum, will prevent, to a very great extent, the evaporation of the water from the package through the edges, as the porous portion of the package being covered both at top and bottom and the edges water-proof, the moisture cannot escape from within.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- As a new article of manufacture, a blottersheet having both sides porous, to absorb water and moisture readily, and having a gain applied to its edges, substantially as and for the purpose described.

BENJAMIN B. HILL.

Witnesses:

T. A. CURTIS, W. H. BARDWELL. 

